Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting.
It does not say anything about which foods to eat, but rather when you should eat them.
There are several different intermittent fasting methods, all of which split the day or week into eating periods and fasting periods.
Most people already “fast” every day, while they sleep. But intermittent fasting as a way of eating is different and can be quite simple. This may include:
- extending your sleeping fast a little longer
- skipping breakfast
- eating your first meal at noon
- eating your last meal at 8 pm
There are several popular methods of intermittent fasting, including:
- 16/8 Method – Fast for 16 hours and eat during an 8-hour window (e.g., eating between 12 PM and 8 PM).
- 5:2 Diet – Eat normally for five days a week and restrict calories (500–600) on two non-consecutive days.
- Eat-Stop-Eat – A full 24-hour fast once or twice a week.
- Alternate-Day Fasting – Alternating between normal eating and fasting every other day.
- OMAD (One Meal a Day) – Eating just one large meal per day.
